Notepad fails to launch from Win+R ("notepad") due to missing Microsoft.UI.Windowing.Core.dll (Windows 11 Insider Dev 25H2 build 26220.7052)

Nova 20 Reputation points
2025-11-10T15:45:52.5766667+00:00

Hi,

When I press Win + R, type notepad, and hit Enter, I get this error message:

The code execution cannot proceed because Microsoft.UI.Windowing.Core.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.

However:

Running C:\Windows\notepad.exe directly works perfectly.

Opening Notepad from the Start menu also works fine.

The problem only happens when launching Notepad via Win + R (or the notepad command).

This makes me think the modern UWP version of Notepad (WinUI 3) is missing a dependency or has a broken link to the Windows App SDK, while the legacy executable still works.

Steps I have tried:

Reinstalled Notepad using:

dism /online /add-capability /capabilityname:Microsoft.Windows.Notepad~~~~0.0.1.0
  1. Ran: 
       sfc /scannow DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

None of these solved the issue.

Could you please confirm if this is a known issue in the Dev Channel build 26220.7052, or provide guidance on how to reinstall or restore the missing Microsoft.UI.Windowing.Core.dll / Windows App SDK runtime?

System Info:

Edition: Windows 11 Insider Preview 25H2 (Build 26220.7052)

Channel: Dev

Architecture: x64

Notepad version: UWP (Microsoft Store)

Thanks a lot for your help!

Windows Insider program | Windows Insider preview | Other

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  1. AI answer

    2025-11-10T15:46:18.6266667+00:00

    It appears that you are encountering an issue with launching the UWP version of Notepad via the Win + R command in Windows 11 Insider Dev Channel (Version 25H2, Build 26220.7052). The error message regarding the missing Microsoft.UI.Windowing.Core.dll suggests that there may be a dependency issue with the modern version of Notepad, which is likely linked to the Windows App SDK.

    Since you have already tried reinstalling Notepad and running system checks like sfc /scannow and DISM, here are a few additional steps you could consider:

    1. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure that your system is fully updated, as newer builds may contain fixes for known issues.
    2. Reinstall Windows App SDK: If the UWP version of Notepad is dependent on the Windows App SDK, reinstalling or repairing the SDK might resolve the issue.
    3. Feedback Hub: Since you are on the Insider build, consider reporting this issue through the Feedback Hub app. This can help Microsoft identify and address the problem in future updates.
    4. Registry Check: Double-check the registry settings related to the UWP apps to ensure there are no misconfigurations affecting the launch of Notepad.

    As this is a known issue in the Dev Channel, it may be resolved in subsequent updates, so keeping your system updated is crucial.

    References:

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  2. CrazyKats 19,245 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-10T16:20:19.9333333+00:00

    Hi Nova,

    I'm on 26220.7070 and Notepad opens fine from

    Run or the Start menu.

    Have you tried Repair, Reset etc. from Settings?

    User's image

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  3. Martijn Langeveld 11 Reputation points
    2025-11-30T20:05:04.7966667+00:00

    I have the same problem. Not only with notepad but also with mspaint.
    When I had this before, uninstall / reinstall by windows store resolved it. Now it is back and reinstall doesn't solve it anymore.

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    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. CrazyKats 19,245 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-30T20:23:01.7733333+00:00

    Hi Marilyn,

    So Notepad doesn't open from your

    Start, Apps?

    Have you tried going to my image above

    and doing a repair for the app?

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  5. 吉坤 廖 0 Reputation points
    2025-12-01T12:56:26.3266667+00:00

    Hi everyone,

    I met the same problem today. The version is 26200.7171. I tried the Repair in Setting, and it went well.

    Hope it is useful.

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